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#Stratford Sweet Shop
inmyendzz · 2 months
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A Love Letter to the Endz: #2
Home sweet home, a love letter to the ends
I know the cracks in the concrete like the lines in my palms. I know the streets of Newham like the back of my hand. I can direct you through the Greenway without a map. I can tell you what Rathbone Market used to look like, where the old West Ham stadium used to be and point towards a decaying, closed Balaam Leisure Centre. I can tell you about the times we would chill outside Canning Town McDonald's or The Hub and would smoke on the steps of Yellow Flats. I lived in E15 and used to go to school in E16 and I had friends who lived in E13 and friends who lived in E6 that had friends who lived in E7, and they had friends that lived in E12 - everyone is connected. I wrote about Stratford Shopping Centre before Westfield, and the marshes before Olympic Village and I existed before the latter. My best friend and I frequently reminisce over Percy Ingle’s Tottenham Cakes and the old Canning Town Library. I often think about Carpenters and the people who used to live there and how they must feel being so far from home. My dad and I used to go on walks around Upton Park and watch a sea of football fans outside Queen’s Market on matchdays – people watching but the footy version, I guess.
When I was younger, I could not wait to grow up and leave Newham, I thought I would never look back. It was an area I had associated with most of my struggles, and I just wanted a better life outside of it. Now, I am older I realise it is possible to find comfort in the place that birthed my deepest fears and my wildest dreams, it is possible to belong in somewhere I once felt like I hated, somewhere I once wanted to leave.
Belonging doesn't have to be instant it can be gradual. Sometimes gradual belonging can feel even sweeter and more meaningful.
We can leave home but home never leaves us, it will always be waiting for us even when it looks unrecognisable, or it has been a while since we last saw it.
Home is like a parent waving you off to a university a few hours away confident in your return. Home is like the seasonal vegetable that we wait all year round to embrace.
It loves us even when we don't love it back. It remembers our tears and the echoes of our laughter.
How could we not possibly belong in the places that remember us in ways that no human could?
- NazFromNewham
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bingwriterxo · 10 months
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I’m honestly surprised reader and her family haven’t made a trip down to Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare’s birthplace and where his tomb stone is (the curse he put on his tombstone…epic) I feel like reader and her dad would have a nerd freak out and Tara would just be in the back with readers brother like “let’s go find one of the candy shops around here” only for readers brother to correct her “I believe they call them sweets around here” 😂😂
(ok but Tara later on doing that as like a honeymoon present or like a engagement present. Like why don’t we go to England? (There is plenty for Tara to enjoy other than Shakespeare)
i can imagine tara thinking she's so smart and cool for taking R to london to see all of the shakespeare things and R is just standing there like...i've seen all this shit five times already
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reviverrealm · 3 months
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Welcome, Agents!
Male
1. Hangman from Topgun: Maverick - @Percy92Port
2. Takeshi Kovacs from Altered Carbon - @charlesissure
3. Scott Summers (young) from X-Men - @lwishitwasme
4. Dick Grayson from DC Titans - @TheAlazuls
5. Ryohei Arisu from Alice in Borderland - @blessedending
6. Joel from The Last of Us - @Rreviver
7. Four from Divergent - @soveiur
8. Roman Godfrey from Hemlock Grove - @Roman90port
9. Jax Teller from Sons of Anarchy - @Nate85Port
10. Jake Peralta from Brooklyn 99 - @091731093HS01
11. Finnick Odair from The Hunger Games - @TwinHSohee
12. Rahul Kanna from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai - @bewairl
13. Newt from The Maze Runner - @NingningTracker
14. Din Djarin from The Mandalorian - @kenobfi
15. Adit from Imperfect The Series - @pierceeveil
16. Hardin Scott from After - @Peter83Port
17. Dilan from Dilan 1990 - @midglory
18. Shuntaro Chishiya from Alice in Borderland - @KAKGEROU
19. Porsche from KinnPorsche The Series - @M4876090936188
20. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds - @shinsosagoshi
21. Jace Wayland from The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - @Lychnes
22. Matt Murdock from Daredevil - @TributePascal
23. Jason Todd from DC Titans - undertamen
24. Duan Jiaxu - @Sanriofs
25. Luffy - @mseouws
Female
1. Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl - @SooyoungSANC
2. Oksana Astankova (Villanelle) from Killing Eve - @pvucker
3. Jane Smith from Mr. & Mrs. Smith - @Margot90East
4. Lee Ahn from Alienoid - @RUM95PHOEBE
5. Mirana of Marmoreal, or famously known as The White Queen from Alice in Wonderland - @herwhitemajesty
6. Gink from Friend Zone - @dorotshea
7. Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Trilogy - @RomancerRyujin
8. Melinda Van Allen from Deep Water - @Waltzsr
9. Tigris from The Hunger Games - @epfsode
10. Inej Ghafa from Shadow and Bone - @stillinthewinds
11. Beatrix from Fate: The Winx Saga - @funranger
12. Alaska Young from Looking for Alaska - @discipels
13. Sadie Rhodes from Ghosted - @mary82port
14. Beatrice Prior (Tris) from Divergent - @TenetTenot
15. Martha Cabrera from Knives Out - @gsirxumx68u1
16. Donna Roberta Paulsen from SUITS - @haseulsea
17. Elle Woods from Legally Blonde - @aeoncens
18. Louise Miller // Lou from Ocean's 8 - @blanchettuals (X.com/blanchettuals)
19. Kat Stratford from 10 Things I Hate About You - @kettgerdam
20. Maddie from No Hard Feeling - @oblivuision
21. Jeong Jian from A Shop for Killers - @calionath
22. Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice - @teatimeturtles
23. Yovanna from Triple Frontier (Adria Arjona) - @MingiBanyuwangi
24. Lee Eunyu from Sweet Home - @Serafinasbff
25. Alina Starkov - @Technobane
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tran-anh · 3 months
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Nana's House Installation, London College of Fashion - Community Co-Curator
Nana's House is an interactive living room installation, as part of Designed for Life which coincided with the opening of the new campus in Stratford, East London, UK.
The living room reflects and represents a broad heterogeneity of lives and experiences in East London told through a fictional family gathered on a Sunday afternoon at Nana's house, using artefacts and QR-linked soundscapes to represent each family member.
"Nana's one of a kind, and so is her house. It's Sunday afternoon, and her Leytonstone Victorian terrace is at capacity. Mum, dad, uncle and Grandad congregate around the jollof, but I'm more interested in the sweet, spiced tea and homemade samosas that have made a regular appearance here since we took in a lodger - an Indian-Muslim exchange student from Hyderabad.
My grandparents have lived here long before I was born. The walls tell the tale of an exuberant young textile worker arriving in London in 1960, fresh from Ondo State, Nigeria, with an infatuation with the latest in fashion and design. Over the years my mum has tried to add some modern toches; working in finance, she began to share her wealth in the late 80s with a new TV and sofa - much to the apathy of Grandad, who only believes in fixing what is broken.
Grandad was a print worker, a determined trade unionist whose career ended at age 48 with a labour dispute on Wapping High Street in 1987. A "real East Londoner born within earshot of the Bow Bells", he fought the resurgence of fascism around Ridley Road Market with the 62 Group and got bruised, whilst mourning the death of his and nana's first newborn, in battles against Oswold Mosely.
He tells stories of how he fell in love with Nana in 1961 to a soundtrack of Marvin Gaye. They triumphed against melancholy and fell deeper in love. In 1966, they celebrated the World Cup win for England together, of which West Ham players were an integral factor!
Having spent the summer away from my parents, I am inspired by the community and political strength of my grandparents. I collide with my parents' capitalist complicity - working in government and global trade; they mock my uncle who gave himself earnestly and entirely to the rave scene of Lea Valley." Soundbites of the family members: • A phone call to the lodger - shopping in Ilford as a Pakistani woman • Grandson - Teenage Frustrations • Grandad - The History Of An East London Print Worker • Nana - A Nigerian Matriarch • Uncle - Cultural History Of The East London Rave Scene • Mum - Affluence, Influence & Merit • Lodger - Far From Home • Bonus
Nana's House was created by lead curator Dr Leila Nassereldein and co-curated by community members Pallavi Chamarty, Omolara Obanishola, Dave Sohanpal and Anh Tran. Supported by Dr Michael McMillan
Artist's works featured around the living room: • Poppy Frean • Sahira Khan • Mercedes Halliday • Shama Kun • Brahim Bendaoud • Lydia Wood • Asim Khairdean • Toyin Gbomedo • John Curtis Films on the TV: • Looking for You - Anna Nguyen & Kristine Landon Smith • Sonia's Whitechapel - Hend Draz, Maya Leonavicius, Fangjiao Liu, Jake London, Angela Josephine Smith & Claire Wasson with special thanks to Sonia Sylvester • Radical Nostalgias - Mercedes Halliday • To Style a Life for Oneself (trailer) - Omolara Obanishola • Dress For Our Time: In conversation with Helen Storey and Michael Saunby - Helen Storey • Drawing Reality - TIGERs • Tarek’s Story - David Betteridge • Reflections from Za’atar - Helen Storey Special thanks to Sahira, Lord Tusk, Theresa, Tony Sullivan, Lee McKarkiel, Furniture Reuse, The Dovetail, Popup Garden Bookshop and Niquelle LaTouche Oct 2023 - Jan 2024
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now-we-say-c0ral · 9 months
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July 16, 2023
He tried to talk to me but I wouldn't say more than 5 words to him. I kind of hate him? I just went to the gym today and played some games. I lazily spent the day doing nothing. He knew better to be in the same room as me so he was in the living room most of the time. I also know I couldn't let this go on forever. I still cooked lunch for us for tomorrow even though I'm mad. I'll talk to him tomorrow before we sleep.
July 15, 2023
Had a good night's sleep last night. This was the day that Eddie and I were supposed to have our movie date. It was supposed to be tomorrow but he has a stag do tonight and I'd imagine that he's going to come home at 4am in the morning and would be so drunk and couldn't really be fun at Sunday so we moved it to today. We had some of the Silvanas that was delivered yesterday which didn't taste like the actual thing but it wasn't so sweet that you'd eat like 4 in a row.
We arrived in Stratford at around 12pm and couldn't find a decent sushi place to chow so we ended up eating at Itsu. I had some sushi and he had some teriyaki chicken which were both good. We then bought some tickets to Insidious. He wasn't the kind to watch scary movies but since I wanted to watch it, he said yes even though he was scared. The movie was very scary. I screamed like three times in the cinema while people were just clenching their teeth trying not to shout. We then headed to the shops to find some clothes on sale. I didn't buy one but Eddie did.
While on the tube home I realized that we didn't have a single picture to remember this day. I told him that I was sad about it and he told me that it wasn't that special and we didn't really need to take a picture. I was taken aback by this. I wanted to hear, "That's fine, we could take some pictures on our next date." but instead he said what he said.
I went home mad and upset because he would take pictures with his friends even when they'd just go out and eat dinner which was nothing special too but with me he wouldn't? I realized that in our 7 months of dating it's always me who was always trying to have the both of us look forward to something, always the planner and always the one inviting him and not twice did I remember his doing this while when Farrah, his friend, will be having her birthday in Turkey this September, he was the one planning the getaway. I didn't have him plan something for me to look forward to except for that whole Turkey trip but he's going out of his way for his friend but I never got that from him. I was so furious when I realized this.
I was too upset with him to even talk to him. I spoiled the date but I'm thankful that I realized this. He will not like what I'm going to be saying to him the coming days. For now, I'll let my mood boil down first.
July 14, 2023
I was assigned today in orthopaedics with Ieron, Rosie, and Chelsea. Rose was supposed to be with me during the operation that I was going to do but my manager, Elli, just told her to watch over me and only interfere if I needed help. I told her that I'll just call her when I don't know what to do. I finished the operation and Rosie was very happy with my output. She was even shocked that the consultant who had a difficult demeanor thanked me after the operation. She even mentioned in the debrief that the new scrub nurses were very good and the team made a good effort together and she even mentioned my performance to my manager. I was so happy today to be able to do something good when I thought that I couldn't. Me and Eddie also went to gym together and ate at Kitchen 37. It was good. We also bought the KBL beans he wanted so he could make some KBL.
July 13, 2023
I was assigned today in Cardiac doing God knows what. I was just there to fill-in the staffing so that it appears that they have enough people doing the list but I am not trained to scrub or to circulate in any of the listed cases and there was a transplant plotted for the day. I felt useless because I have no idea what to do and I was just there as a bystander. They're all busy and I wanted to help but I don't know how and I didn't want to slow them down by showing me what to do. It was such a weird feeling but seeing the heart through the chest is such an experience. I would want to be trained to do the case but not be assigned in Cardiac because it just demands so much of your time, apparently. Went to the gym after.
July 12, 2023
I seriously cannot remember what happened. Gym, I guess?
July 11, 2023
I was off today. Played Pokemon Unite, Diablo, talked to Danica and my family, and went to the gym. I can't remember the rest of the day.
July 10, 2023
I was so stoked to work today but that proved to be wrong when I got to work. It's rather a weird time to work during the junior doctor strike because there are less cases that no junior doctors are assisting the consultants do surgeries but also surgeries are still happening. It's not that safe, if you ask me.
I was thinking that I'll be working in orthopaedics but I was assigned in emergency with Ate Elizabeth, Ieron, Katie and Rosie who's on a late shift. The one leading the list while Rosie was still not in the unit was ate Elizabeth. There were around 3 cases listed in the morning. A laparoscopic case, an LP, and suddenly a bronchoscopy. I had no experience in the two cases apart from the laparoscopy. We ended the shift doing most of the cases except the laparoscopy because the patient has had a scan prior and the result didn't define the need for surgery but having junior nurses and a supernumerary run the emergency list and the band 6 not coming until 10am is very unsafe. The next time that this'll happen I'll definitely not be happy enough that I'm going to say something about it. No gym today.
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tonkitopia · 2 years
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Foodie fest ontario
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Get a taste of the Wellington Country culinary scene from a local perspective on this small group tour. If you love your java, be sure to add the coffee tasting tour to your itinerary. Seek Adventure and Tours, Thunder BayĮxplore Thunder Bay through various curated food tours led by resident foodies filled with great food and rich storytelling. Catharines and feature vegan tour options. Niagara Culinary Tours, Niagaraĭescribed as speed dating with restaurants, Niagara Culinary Tours is a walking tour that integrates Niagara’s history and culture with great food from local establishments along with wine pairing. Tour package includes an exclusive Tasty Road Trip Market Bag you can fill with goodies around the tour. Resident food ambassador, Spicy Jan, has the perfect itinerary for group tours in Paris that feature places to eat and entertaining nuggets about the area (self-guided info is also available). You’ll gain access to the exclusive members club that has been around since the beginning of the 20th century, and enjoy snacks, a cocktail and whisky sampling. Drinks of Walkerville, WindsorĮxplore North America’s largest distillery on this immersive tour in the birthplace of Canadian whisky that shares the folklore and the history of the company and the brewing process. Get a local perspective on the unique flavours and culture of a community on a guided tour. Get to know the Collingwood culinary community and find inspiration for your next meal using the good food map. The Good Food Stroll, CollingwoodĬollingwood is brimming with celebrated restaurants, craft breweries, cafés, specialty food stores and markets. Chocolate Trail passes can be purchased at Destination Stratford, located close to Stratford City Hall and various Stratford locations. Snack on a variety of sweet and delicious chocolates from six shops in Stratford and meet local chocolate makers and purveyors. Perth County Farm Gate, Perth Countyįrom cheese themed tours or syrup and jam trails, the Flavour Farm Game Map gets you right to the source of local food in Perth County. A guided walking food tour of downtown Midland and it’s rich history and culture is also available. Learn all about the communities you visit and the local owners and chefs. Take a self-guided driving tour to five different local restaurants for delicious food, drink and conversation. Download the trail map to pick your favourite trail spots, including wineries, cideries, breweries, markets, restaurants and bakeries that create apple-inspired delights. The fertile, apple-growing area around the communities of Blue Mountain Village, Craigleith, Beaver Valley, Thornbury and Meaford is home to the famous Apple Pie Trail. Trent Hills Flavour Tour, Northumberland Countyįrom dairy products to craft beer, learn all about locally produced goodies and find your new favourite flavours in the picturesque region of Trent Hills. New experiences are always added, so be sure to check the website for up to date information. Sample traditional and innovative varieties of cheese and discover dairy creations you never knew existed. There’s always something new to savour in Canada’s dairy capital. Sample dishes that incorporate a variation of pork offerings and then wash it down with signature brews of the area along the Bacon and Ale Trail. Bacon and Ale Trail, StratfordĪgricultural roots run deep in the Stratford area, as does a passion for fine craft brewing. And naturally, to some of the best sugarbush operations in Ontario. The Sip & Savour trail will lead you to great breweries, cideries, cafes and bakeries throughout Lanark County. There’s more than just maple in the Maple Capital of Ontario. The purist will appreciate the traditional tarts, while the adventurous will want to try new flavours such as pumpkin, chocolate, rhubarb or coconut. Savour each satisfying bite-size moment when you embark on a flavour-filled adventure to discover some of the richest, flakiest and tastiest butter tarts in the world. Butter Tart Tour, Kawartha Northumberland Take your time and savour the experience.
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gailmonaghan · 7 years
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I realize I am in the minority (certainly among my family and friends anyway) but I adore black licorice. For me, red licorice---like white chocolate--is borderline OK but not the real thing by a long shot. When I was in Stratford-Upon-Avon last week (to see plays....but also it turned out, to eat and buy licorice) I discovered The Stratford Sweet Shop, home to jars and jars of the best imported licorice (from Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Australia) imaginable. I loaded up, but now have almost finished all of it and have been trolling the internet for more.
If you too are a licorice addict, click here to order soft licorice drops quite similar to what I found in Stratford.
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juleswolverton-hyde · 4 years
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Homesick (BC)
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Genre: Angst, Idol AU
Pairing: Bangchan x Reader
Warnings: Heavy heartbreak
Summary: Home is not always a place because sometimes it is a person. They are the one who have created an unrivalled atmosphere to linger in.
This home was found by an extremely lucky accident and explored in the city of the bridge that might one day fall.
And it hurts like Hell to be cast out of it.
Author’s Note: Based on personal emotions in regards to the cancellation of the SKZ concert in London and this letter. Indeed, this essentially might be a self-indulgent piece, but know there is a clear line between fact and fiction.
And I know exactly which is which.
Masterlist
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Lonely.
That is perhaps the best word to describe the feeling of waking up in the morning in the heart of London. Normally, as happened on that miraculous night exactly a year ago, Versace Eros Homme would linger in the sheets and the running shower fill the tranquil Westminster air with the sound of falling water. 
Now it is cold.
The tears streaming down the cheeks to stain the sole warm pillow were shed first by him at the first goodbye at Heathrow. Then they could be stopped by the promise of meeting again perhaps during the summer, but that wish had to be postponed due to touring. A new promise was made by agreeing to meet in London, the prospect slightly stilling quivering full lips stuttering out the words “I miss you” to their lucky beloved.
Another dream destroyed.
With a single phone call two months ago.
‘I’m so, so sorry, babygirl. They cancelled the Europe dates for the tour.’ Breaths noticeably became shorter as the consequences of the management’s actions in regards to health and safety sank in. Fingers started to tremble, shaking the phone as well as trying to cover a mouth endeavouring to not sink helplessly to the floor with a broken heart.
But the mutual sadness crashed in simultaneously, distorting the conversation on either side with gasps and sometimes successful attempts at forming words.
‘I- You- I’ve already booked a week- weekend in Lon- London.’
‘Can you,’ composure clearly had to be regained, leaving an interval of a couple of seconds before unsteadily continuing and failing at the first word, ‘can-’
It took a difficult swallow followed by an awkward clearing of the throat to finish the inquiry spoken in a lovely Australian accent, ‘cancel it?’
‘I could. But I- I don’t have the money. I’m still a poor student.’ Breathing in felt like swallowing sandpaper, but the pain was enough to evenly smooth out speech and nullify the sobbing stuttering. ‘So I’m still going.’
‘Where are you staying?’
‘Westminster, close to Hyde Park.’
‘Which hotel?’ Without hesitating, the name and address were given so Chan could find out where the hotel is located, slender fingers audibly typing on the keyboard of the laptop likely used for composing new songs. After a wee while, a relieved sigh sounded on the other side, voicing approval of the accommodation. ‘Good. That’s a safe neighbourhood. I’m not letting you stay in Stratford again.’
The risk of danger there forcefully removed an ordinary travelling student from the Ibis Hotel, her favourite wolf transferring her to a safer area in the metropolis. Even if it would raise questions among the members and the public if we were to be seen.
None of that mattered.
As long as we were safe from harm.
‘Chan, I... I really don’t wanna go.’ This is where the waterworks really opened and the sobbing began in earnest. ‘Not alone.’
‘You’ve been working hard. Too hard. You deserve a break, babe. Go.’
‘I hope you and the lads will stay safe, I really do. But you can’t expect me to walk the streets without the memory of you. To sit in the coffee corner of the Waterstones at Piccadilly Circus, overlooking the National Gallery without thinking of how I chased you after you kissed me on the cheek in the basement of the shop. How you kissed me in the square in front of the gallery.’
‘Of course I can’t expect that.’ A sad snicker and creaking of the bed told of sitting down like the girl across the pond, on the edge of what cannot be shared. ‘And I would have done it again. Would have- Would have treated you to breakfast, kissed you again, made love to you.’ A rasping breath tore the heart further into fragments, emphasizing the impossibility to reach out and crawl on the lad’s lap to cling to the muscled chest like a koala. ‘I miss you.’
The same words are now repeated to the empty spot, remembered by puffy eyes barely wearing any makeup portrayed in the mirror when preparing to head out for a coffee at a nearby Costa.
Clothes befitting a guest of the four-star hotel are put on without listening to Stray Kids, instead opting for the soundtrack of Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate to remain in a British humour. It is the same music which has been on constant repeat while aimlessly wandering around the city.
Taking strolls in Hyde Park and St. James’s Green.
Hands were entwined while exploring lush green and by the waterside, enjoying an impromptu picnic with food from the nearest Tesco or Sainsbury’s.
Walking the length of the Victoria Embankment and parliament district.
Chan offered the last of his water against the warmth, unwavering in his argument that it should be allowed to take care of a significant other regardless of personal costs. However, to repay the kindness, the little wolf acted rapidly to make sure the order of two lemon ciders was paid before her taller counterpart could draw a debit card when retreating from the heat in a cooled cafe. 
Surveying art in galleries.
The ancient conflicts between a modernist and classicist somehow found their way into the relationship early, though neither of us actually knew what we were futilely howbeit amusingly ranting about.
Browsing in the various bookshops.
The kangaroo boy did not allow way less muscles arms to carry the various paperbacks that were collected when not grabbing a title from the top shelves for a girl with small people problems.
Hiding the secret tears fading in the shadows of Camden Lock, covering themselves with the unique fashion and amazing food to be found there.
The personal serving of cookie dough had to be shared because a hungry buff koala with a slight sweet tooth could not stop stealing bites.
Reminiscent of that devastating phone call.
‘I miss you.’
The three little words whispered to oneself over a large cup of cappuccino while looking out over the square where it happened a little less than a year ago.
What luck had found two souls.
What tragedy has befallen them.
‘I hope you’re okay.’ A hand wipes away the stray tear leaving a salty trail over skin, nose turning runny and teeth biting down on the lower lip when the absence across the table becomes tangible. Outside, the umbrellas have one another as they trod the grey pavements beneath the gloomy heaven. The books on the shelves are nestled against each other, the way panting lovers cuddled after their first time together and multiple intense rounds after until the evening of parting came.
Initiating hiatus.
London rain.
A broken promise.
‘I hope all of you are.’
Weary feet eventually leave the seat by the window after drinking what will likely result in a caffeine overdose. On the way to the underground, a stop is made at the nearby Sainsbury’s to buy a cheap three pounds meal deal. A student on a budget and low-calorie diet has to survive somehow and fortunately, if lucky, the convenience store offers what is wanted for a low price. Thus, with a bottle of water, fruit salad and egg salad sandwich alongside a couple of protein bars, the journey to the hotel is continued.
Vision becomes more and more watery as the stuffy underground station is left behind, slowly coming closer to the temporary accommodation that was supposed to be shared.
‘Why are you crying?’ A familiar voice that sounds like low purring when drowsy makes dark Puma sneakers turn around on the glistening marble tiles, overjoyed with the sound of home. Pale strong arms smelling of a romantic Italian holiday and dusted by thin black hairs pull the waist into a tight embrace as a thumb wipes away the droplets gracing skin. Love shines bright is warm chocolate eyes refusing to tear up in joy too. ‘Hey, babygirl.’
That is what wants to be heard.
Seen.
Felt.
But all there is, is the chic lobby.
The posh elevator leading up.
The cold sheets of the empty bed.
A lonely room.
And the unheard cries of a broken heart.
‘Fuck, I miss you.’
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hadeswrxtes · 5 years
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Stratford Town
HC: the stand ins
"I brought pie!"
There were obvious perks when living in a neighborhood full of retirees. It was relatively cheaper than most neighborhoods, that was the most obvious. There were very few parties save for the weekly bingo night down at Mr. Bradley's and there was practically no need for noise complaints, nobody drove too fast, and there was always, always, always an abundance of food.
"And I brought cake, so you can tell us which is better!" Leo stood at his doorway slightly stunned, expression balancing between surprise and sleep before shaking himself awake to properly greet both Mrs. Green and Mrs. Long, inviting them both in for tea as a thank you.
With all the perks, however, there was no question that practically all of them were terrible gossips (albeit well-intentioned). It didn't take long for his neighborhood to find out that both his parents had left them. The first night with his mother gone, he came home to find five casserole dishes in his fridge with small post it's from five different households voicing words of encouragement and support. Sawyer, later on in life, had joked that while they'd lost two parents, they gained 20 pairs of grandparents in return.
And she wasn't wrong.
They were all very sweet. He goes walking with Mr. Garcia's walking group in the morning, mostly because he likes listening to their stories. Mr. Carter had been a war vet. Mrs. Tully was a nurse. Mr. Lions claimed he'd very nearly worked for NASA, but Mr. Garcia wasn't all that convinced. They would, in turn, ask him how his job was going at the auto shop and he would tell them stories of his own. He learned how to buff out a sports car, and one time, a mildly famous author tipped him a fifty! More often than not, it would end with them attempting to push their grandsons or granddaughters at him or Sawyer and he would laugh because it was nice of them to care.
It made him happy.
Their first christmas alone, they had been invited to three different dinners, and were given a total of twelve knitted winter clothes (ranging from scarves to mittens to sweaters). Sawyer and him wore all of them individually, sending pictures to their respective gifters as a thank you. He would write out cards to all of them and whenever he would visit, it would make his chest warm whenever he would see it on their mantle.
"It's like a big family." His boyfriend had commented once as they made dumplings with Mr. and Mrs. Kim. "An odd... mismatched... endearing family." Leo couldn't have agreed more as he watched Mr. Kim question his boyfriend with a small smile on his face. He cared about all of them a lot.
-
They were all terrible (well-intentioned) gossips, that much was true. When no one opened the door the first time around, Mr. Garcia grew worried. They all knew Leo's work hours, so he should have been home, and Sawyer was home from school (she had visited Mrs. Green just yesterday for tea). He waited patiently for five more minutes before deciding to check in, using the key Leo had given him that should only be used for emergencies (I.e. if he needed extra sugar, or if he wanted to drop off some of his wife's award winning lasagna.)
He nearly cried when they found the both of them attached to their monitors.
-
They visit them regularly. A steady stream of elderly couples that argue with the doctors and bring fresh flowers when the old ones need changing. "I'm here to visit my grandchildren." They would tell the nurses, and the people at St. Mary's learned to stop questioning them. When the younger one's heart stopped beating, she had been alone, that was true, but she wasn't alone for long.
Mrs. Kim held Sawyer's hand while Mrs. Green dressed her. Mr. Lions arranged the flowers and Mr. Garcia gave the eulogy. All the while, there were whispered promises to make sure she was well taken cared of. "Don't you worry, Leo. We got her." They would tell him, even if he couldn't hear them.
-
Leo thought about them sometimes. When the threat of Velia crept to the background and he was curled up in his bed in HQ. He hoped they were all doing well. Wondered if they visited him at all... he convinced himself that it was okay if they didn't. He was just grateful. Grateful that he had known them. Grateful that they were always there...
... mostly he was grateful that none of them played video games.
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Becoming Alan Bennett
PLAYING a real, living person, inevitably lends an extra layer of complexity to an actor's job. Playing a good friend, one might imagine then, even more so. Yet the much-garlanded, veteran actor Alex Jennings is remarkably unfazed by the challenge of becoming his mate Alan Bennett on stage and screen.
Bennett features more than once as a character in his own work, so inevitably somebody had to do it. And Jennings has made such an art of representing the writer that he is now practically his official performance proxy. He has played Bennett on both stage and screen. It is a creative collaboration that started with a series of short plays at The National theatre in London and has now found its way into cinemas. Jennings is currently starring in The Lady in The Van, the film adaptation of Bennett's autobiographical play, which tells the story of his oddball friendship with a malodorous bag-lady (played by Maggie Smith) who parks the van, in which she lives, in his driveway in Camden and ends up staying 15 years. "It is weird," Jennings admits. In person, he is tall and tiggerish, with an open, affable face and just a touch of luvvie about him -- a far cry from his appearance as the frowning, semi-reclusive playwright in grubby clothes in The Lady in the Van. "I mean, I have his blessing. So that kind of gives me confidence. Alan has now said he suspected that I sort of always did an Alan Bennett, and I've just now been given the opportunity to go public with it." Alan, it seems, is not wrong. "It is sort of true," he says with a laugh. "And I think a lot of people do. Just not professionally". Bennett and Jennings first worked together in TV quite a few years ago.
"I've known him a long time," he says, and so he had plenty of time to observe him at close range. It helps too that he "grew up watching his stuff on TV. All the stuff that he featured in and also all of his amazing body of work." So Bennett was present in Jennings' life long before he actually knew him "and my kids grew up listening to his recordings of Winnie the Pooh and Wind in the Willows, which are genius".
During the making of the film, the man himself was around all the time to give feedback and notes. "He was concerned about me not being too plaintive and wanting me to be tougher. And not doing sort of, cosy cuddly Alan Bennett, because he doesn't like to be thought of as that. He's much sharper than that. Probably because of The Wind And the Willows, people do sort of think he's a bit Moley. And he's not." He admits that he tends to study Alan when they are together, which must be a bit odd, socially. "I do watch him," he admits. While Bennett confessed to him that sometimes (on set) "he'd see me sort of walking past the window and he said it was kind of spooky for him. I'm not a lookalike, but there is clearly something going on and when I get the hair and glasses on and the tie and the jacket and the jumper. He always wanted them to be dirtier. He put egg down my jumper once. I wear bits of his actual clothes." 
Born in Essex, Jennings studied at Bristol Old Vic. Though not quite a household name in film and television, he has won three Olivier Awards and has long been considered a titan of the British theatre scene -- almost ever since he was discovered by director Nicholas Hytner (previously the artistic director of the National and now the director of The Lady in The Van) in 1985. Hytner was something of a mentor, playing a big hand in developing his career and giving him "fantastic opportunities," he says, such as "Country Wife at the Royal Exchange, with Gary Oldman and Cheryl Campbell, and then the Royal Shakespeare Company. I then started to pick up other directors as well, so I don't exclusively work with Nick," he jokes. "But we have a kind of shorthand, I suppose. And he pushes me as well." 
Now in his late 50s, he has given the impression in interviews over the years that despite his dream theatre career, he perhaps hankered to do more film and television. Now, with his first starring role in a film and a part in the upcoming big-budget, heavyweight Netflix series The Crown, (currently in production and involving a British film dream team of writer Peter Morgan and director Stephen Daldry), does he feel like that's shifting? "Well, you never know," he says cheerily. "You can't sort of control it, really. I'm pretty happy with the way it's gone. It's been fantastically varied, what I've done, I suppose. And it's been great to bat back and forth between plays and the telly that I've done and the odd film. I've never played a leading role in a movie, so that's a new thing." It's an experience that he's enjoying. "It feels good," he says, grinning. "You get to stay at the Four Seasons hotel in LA and you're very, very well looked after. But I'm grown-up enough not to think of that as the norm." He did a stint in LA a few years ago to see how it might suit him "very briefly after I did Hamlet for the RSC. I thought I'd go out there after that and see how the land laid," he says. But it didn't last, mainly because his long-term partner Lesley, wasn't all that keen. "I'm such a sort of film nerd. I just loved the fact that I was in LA and my friends who I was staying with -- I was really lucky I was staying in a really nice place and they were going, 'Mae West used to live there, Bette Davis used to live there.' And I was just like a boy in a sweet shop. And Lesley is much more grounded and practical about all of that." Perhaps it's not surprising that Lesley is more grounded -- she's a landscape gardener by profession. Though she has "always been very involved and is a very keen viewer of what I do and critic of what I do," he says. The pair have a grown-up daughter and son -- an artist and physicist respectively. They make an eclectic and happy-sounding bunch, and this is much, Jennings admits, to Lesley's credit. She was the one to keep the home fires burning, something which "enabled me to go and work in Stratford for lengthy periods of time ... she has made sacrifices and was there for the kids when I wasn't so much." 
Sunday Independent, Dublin 22 November, 2015
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futuresandpasts · 5 years
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Futures & Pasts | MRR #426
So you’ve probably heard by now that Maximum Rocknroll is going to be ceasing its print publication very soon (there’s two more issues left as of this month). Thirty-seven straight years of putting out an all-volunteer-staffed, internationally distributed punk zine EVERY MONTH is completely mind-boggling & I feel genuinely honored to have been a small part of that history for the past four years. They’ve given me a really important platform to write about all kinds of weird & obscure music on the fringes of DIY from all points in time, where I had a page or two in every issue to slip in feverish praise for forgotten Messthetics geniuses and early ‘80s one-single femme-punk wonders and contemporary mutant disco tape freaks in the midst of interviews with, say, any number of D-beat bands.
I'm hoping that if you’ve ever read my column, you’re not among the (many, many) people who dismissively say things about how they haven’t picked up an issue of MRR in years, or like to argue that MRR doesn’t cover anything interesting or relevant anymore, etc. If by chance you are, I’d like to recommend throwing MRR a couple of bucks for their final print issues as a small acknowledgement of the fact that I’ve made all of my columns available to read online free of charge, without you ever having to touch the smudged newsprint pages of an actual copy of the magazine. You can also still pick up back issues, including #426 (November 2018), where this particular column first appeared. 
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I was struggling a little bit to figure out what truly new (as opposed to newly reissued) music to write about this month, but I got an email completely by chance from my friend Aubrey in LITHICS as they were passing through the UK on their European tour, and she recommended that I check out this band called HANDLE that they had just played with in Manchester. Totally serendipitous, because their six-song demo collection Demonstrations is so completely my thing—all sharp, clanging incantations built from bass, drums, keyboard, and voice, with rhythm at the forefront even as everything else is collapsing around it. “Rubber Necks” and “Step By Step” both lock into propulsive grooves from mutant disco beats and harsh metallic percussion that intersect with a deep, menacing bass throb and urgently yelped and chanted vocals to skirt the line between the deconstructed danceability of early ‘80s New York groups like LIQUID LIQUID or BUSH TETRAS, and the more abrasive, confrontational scratch and scrape of their No Wave cohorts in DNA or THEORETICAL GIRLS. HANDLE somehow manage to be disjointed and tightly-wound at the same time (think of the delicate balance that TRASH KIT and SHOPPING pull off, if you’re looking for reference points from the 21st century), crafting truly anxious sounds for uncertain futures. Can’t wait for them to take the steps toward a proper physical release, because it will absolutely set things on fire when they do. (Absolute Fiction, absolutefiction.bandcamp.com)
After a handful of cassettes that appeared over the last few years, Canadian oddballs TOUGH CUSTOMER recently made their vinyl debut with the four-song Darlene EP on Sweet Rot, in the “slightly less new by the time y’all read this” category. Their austere-yet-playful, bass-driven vibe recalls the effortlessly cool minimalism of early ‘80s art-schooled heroines like OH-OK and Y PANTS, with flashes of KLEENEX-esque free-associated absurdism—“Mash” seems to follow a fairly standard post-punk combination of needling guitar, steady bass pulse, and kinetic drumming, until you start to wrap your head around the fact that lyrics are basically all about potatoes. Each song ends up subtly bending itself into similarly unexpected forms and sometimes more than once, whether it’s via the band hopscotching through the sneaky, shifting rhythms of “Drum Farm”, or the structure provided by the significant negative spaces between sparsely struck notes in “Clean and Clear” (the highlight of their 2015 debut tape The Worst, presented here in an even more tightened up version), or when a legitimately wailing guitar solo in “Soul Patch” breaks up the otherwise taut push/pull that’s been constructed. I can’t really think of many other modern post-punk adjacent bands who are this deep into their own self-defined and uncurbed musical universe, and that’s definitely to TOUGH CUSTOMER’s credit. (Sweet Rot, actualtoughcustomer.bandcamp.com)
The one-off 1979 single from the HAND GRENADES was self-released and packaged in a minimalist sleeve with no personnel credits or identifying information, which posed all sorts of questions as to who was behind the record and where exactly they had come from. Going strictly from audio cues, both sides of the 7” showcased a ramshackle post-punk sensibility in line with the DESPERATE BICYCLES, the HOMOSEXUALS, or SWELL MAPS (not to mention some nasal and vaguely British-accented vocals that sounded kind of like a bedroom-recorded Peter Perrett of the ONLY ONES), which lead many people to understandably reach the conclusion that the HAND GRENADES must have been a product of the same “it was easy, it was cheap, go and do it” school of late ‘70s UK DIY. In reality, they were actually from Long Island, and by the early ‘80s, they’d transformed into the new wave/power-pop group the SPONSORS, abandoning any hint of scratchy Messthetics aesthetics to write songs with skinny-tied titles like “In and Out of Love” and “Love I Can’t Wait”. Truth is stranger than fiction, but despite geography, the lone HAND GRENADES record has rightfully been regarded as a touchstone of UK-minded shambolic late ‘70s/early ‘80s art-punk and also one that unfortunately tends to fetch collector scum prices these days, so praise be onto Last Laugh Records, who just reissued the single as a 12” EP (Demos to London) with the addition of two previously unreleased tracks. “Demo to London” and “Coma Dos” from the original 7” tick off seemingly every box on the UK DIY checklist—charmingly fidelity-challenged, treble to the extreme, shaky single-note guitar, BUZZCOCKS hooks thrown slightly off-kilter, plenty of FALL-worthy repetition. On the unreleased side, the scrappy pop of “Cocoon” could almost pass for the TELEVISION PERSONALITIES stripped of their more psychedelically mod leanings, while “Murder” repeatedly cycles through the phrase “murder in the U.S.” over some wiry econo-punk to a biting and almost RONDOS/early EX-ish effect. Beyond mandatory! (Last Laugh, almostreadyrecords.com)
With each new vinyl reissue sourced from the first half decade or so Flying Nun’s back catalog, I’ve been holding out hope that Auckland’s darkly angular post-punk poster children THIS SPORTING LIFE would be the next in line to have their long out-of-print records brought back into circulation. And this summer, at long last, it finally happened… well, sort of. We’ll have to settle for the new Alms for Children CD anthology, which collects the group’s two proper Flying Nun releases (1982’s Show Me to the Bellrope LP and 1983’s In Limbo EP), the debut 7” from 1981 that was issued under their original name of ALMS FOR CHILDREN, and a number of previously unreleased live tracks—digital is definitely better than nothing at all in this case. Along with Stratford’s NOCTURNAL PROJECTIONS and Christchurch’s the GORDONS, THIS SPORTING LIFE were a part of the early ‘80s New Zealand underground faction that fell more in line with the serrated nihilism of bands like the FALL and JOY DIVISION, in contrast to their jangly, SYD BARRETT/VELVET UNDERGROUND-worshipping peers. The FALL influence is particularly apparent in the tracks drawn from their mid-period, like “Wasting My Time,” where a rickety keyboard line fights for space on top the sort of stripped-down and flipped-out rockabilly rhythm that Mark E. Smith and company continuously revisited for a good forty years or so, with Gary Charlton’s vocals wavering between deadpan and desperate in equal measure. Other highlights of an already stacked compilation: the otherwise-unreleased “Suspicious of You,” with cavernous, razor-edged bass heightening the paranoid tension suggested by the title and lyrical content, and the frenetic, jagged pop sensibility of “Total Loss,” which features some unexpectedly chiming acoustic guitar that almost adheres to the general conception of the whole “Flying Nun sound”. I don’t think I’ve ever recommended a CD-only release in over three years of doing this column, but there’s a first time for everything. (Failsafe Records, almsforchildrenthissportinglife.bandcamp.com)
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bluerose5 · 6 years
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In a Past Life
(Warning for severe illness, lack of editing, and transfer of consciousness.)
Summary: Connor gets the feeling that he met the deviant leader before the events of Detroit. Word Count: 1,395. Rated T.
The first time that Connor saw Markus, he nearly bit his tongue off from the shock.
What he was shocked about? He couldn't exactly say. All he knew was that, deep down, he had seen that deviant before.
Flashes of various images had passed him by, there and gone within a second. The feeling was disorienting, his senses were overwhelmed, and the room wouldn't stop spinning for anything. As he stared at the screen before him, his vision focused in on the RK200's facial structure, trying to figure out where he knew him from.
Of course that would be the moment that Hank approached him, asking whether he found anything of interest.
Before Connor could even think, the words were already spilling out of his mouth, dismissing Hank's concern.
Apparently, he came across as a bit too defensive because it was nearly impossible to miss the suspicious glance thrown his way.
Connor ignored the churning of his gut, continuing on with their investigation.
Only the flashes didn't stop there.
With each passing day —hell, with each passing hour— more and more of the flashes invaded his mind, the strange images growing impossibly more intense with each encounter. All it took was one thing to trigger them. It could be something as simple as a random coffee shop, or it could be another news coverage on the deviant named Markus.
When he and Hank eventually visited Elijah Kamski himself, the images remained at their clearest throughout Connor's entire stay. He would constantly raise a hand to his throbbing temple, massaging his LED in confusion, but every time he did so, Elijah would merely stare at him in amusement.
After the whole "Kamski Test" ordeal, Hank rushed him out of there as quickly as possible, but the images refused to go away.
From then on, they were a constant nuisance, a stubborn thorn in Connor's side that he would rather ignore.
Following that, he threw himself into his work without abandon, a tactic which eventually paid off. With Hank's help, of course.
Connor didn't know what he expected out of that exchange with Markus, but he definitely didn't expect for all of the images to come crashing down on him at once.
And when he comes to, he definitely doesn't expect to be transported to a different world.
No, not another world, but... a memory?
Your memory, his mind corrects him, but no. That's impossible. He has no recollection of this.
Everything around him is overwhelming. It's like all of his systems are being bombarded at once, overloaded by an endless array of sensory data. The sounds, the smells, the tastes...
Wait, no, androids can't taste.
Wrong. Wrong. This is all wrong.
But Connor can remember it all, as clear as day. The sweet taste of his favorite chocolates on his tongue, the teasing press of another's mouth against his own, a smile forming on the human's lips.
A human that beams back at him with mismatched eyes.
Before Connor can get his bearings, though, he's thrown haphazardly into another vision, launched into a free fall before he crashes through another portion of his programming.
This time, he's in an apartment, yelling through a closed door, his mouth moving without his consent.
"Markus, please," he begs, tears streaming down his cheeks. Desperate and afraid, he clutches tighter at the phone in his hand, a recent email open on display. "This is our last chance. He's offering us a solution."
"Bullshit. He's offering for us to be his guinea pigs," Markus calls out, followed by some strained, gurgling coughs.
Then silence.
Connor feels his heart sink in his chest, and he starts pounding on the door, his nails scratching viciously at the wood.
He doesn't even notice when he starts bleeding.
"Markus?!" he yells.
No answer.
Connor feels his stress levels skyrocket to hazardous levels, his LED turning a deep red.
Followed by an endless display of notifications.
Software Instability ▲
Software Instability ▲
Software Instability ▲
[IN%EGR@%ION C@MPLE#E]
What? What integration?
There's not even a warning before he's thrown back into the fray.
Connor continues to bang on the door, dropping to the floor to peak underneath.
"Come on," he whimpers, swiping furiously at his tears.
It clears his eyes long enough to spot Markus' form, still and lifeless on the floor.
Connor can't breathe.
He can't breathe, he can't breathe, he can't breathe...
The room goes dark around him, just for him to reappear in  yet another memory.
This time, he's in a hospital of some kind, surrounded by sterile white walls on all sides while an incessant beeping drones on in the background.
Connor sits by an occupied bed, his leg bouncing, fingers tented thoughtfully over his mouth.
And Markus lays silently before him, staring resolutely at the ceiling, his breathing shallow, eyes droopy and frame emaciated. At this point, he can barely stay awake, so he nods off on multiple occasions, unable to keep his head upright. Connor uses his sleeve to wipe away the trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. Summoning what remains of his strength, Markus reaches up to grasp comfortingly at his hand.
A white gold band shines brightly in the lights.
The door opens, and Connor glances up at their visitor in relief. Markus takes the time to appraise him as well, his lip curling with  disdain.
Elijah Kamski stares at them, rewarding them both with an appreciative nod.
"Thank you two for agreeing to participate," he says, calm and collected.
Holding in another cough, Markus glowers, squeezing weakly at his husband's hand. "Let's get one thing straight. I'm only here for him. This never was and never will be about you."
Kamski holds his hands up in surrender, smirking victoriously. "Crystal clear. Although, I have to admit that I was surprised by your sudden willingness to participate."
"Nothing like a good change of heart," Markus deadpans.
Connor takes a deep breath, trying to keep himself from falling apart at the seams.
"You wanted someone with my level of intellect to perform your procedure on," Connor states. "If you want my cooperation, then this is my condition. Save him first, and then you'll get the prototype you always dreamed of."
Kamski considers the offer for a weighted moment, then nods his final consent.
"Well, gentleman," he says, clasping his hands together with glee. "Ready to make history?"
"No."
That one word is enough to snatch Connor immediately back to the present.
Meanwhile, those memories —his memories— continue to sort themselves in the background, but it doesn't end there. It isn't a simple replay of events, but it's a total integration of the experiences. Emotions, thoughts, actions... All of it is transferred over.
All of it is his.
Not only that, but all of the other missing pieces return. Pieces that were supposed to be lost with each new transfer into another "Connor" android. Fifty predecessors, but he's the first to come full circle.
He's the first to fully adopt the original Connor's consciousness.
A human consciousness.
The words pop up unexpectedly.
[I AM DEVIANT.]
Oh no.
He shakily drops his gun, grasping desperately at his skull.
Too fast. This is all happening too fast.
He feels like he's drowning, suffocating. His legs can barely hold him up, and his chest feels as if it is collapsing. He keels over, dry heaving onto the floor.
Pain. This is pain. Why can he perceive pain?!
[STRESS LEVEL: 96%]
A notification pops up, warning him of potential self-destruction.
Coughs wrack his body, and a bitter taste clings to the inside of his mouth.
What has he done?
Hands settle roughly on his shoulders, but Connor can't even find it within himself to look up.
His voice is still the same, calm yet passionate, able to make a person believe anything.
Able to convince an entire people to stand by his side, even in the face of death.
Connor curls in on himself.
Why now? Why did it all have to come back to him now, of all times?
Why couldn't this have happened at Stratford Tower, before the worst of the damage had been done?
"Connor," Markus whispers, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and disbelief.
Too bad Connor is going to have to break his heart.
It only takes five words.
"They're going to attack Jericho."
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uhdaphncs-blog · 5 years
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╰☆╮ZENDAYA ─ DAPHNE BRADFORD identifies as CIS-FEMALE and uses SHE/HER pronouns. they’re a SINGER/ACTRESS, and they’re only TWENTY-ONE ! they’re said to be AMBITIOUS, but also MATERIALISTIC. i guess that’s why they’re known as THE OPULENT in the tabloids. ( anna, she/her, cst, 18+ ).
about the mun
uhhh this is only going to be like three bullets long, so let me start by saying hi! my name is annaliese, but y’all can call me anna
i was convinced to join this wonderful rp by my even more wonderful girlfriend sierra ( if you read that i’m so sorry i’m just soft and gay please don’t bully me )
lastly, i got big anxiety, so if i don’t answer your message right away i’m not ignoring you! i’m just trying to think of what i’m going to say
biography
inspiration: blair waldorf & elle woods & bianca stratford
daphne elaine bradford, was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, mostly due to her mother’s spoiling of her from a young age
very similar but also drastically different to her half sister anstasia ( who she loves a whole lot, may i add )
was held up to a high standard, and was expected to be exactly like her sister, and when the time was right she was sent to le rosey, and was met with the legacy of her sister’s reputation
easily became the popular girl that was all smiles and perfect posture, knew when to speak and what to say, has always been good at charming people, always, no matter what was going on in her life made the grade, and easily placed into the school’s brochure while they talked about how wonderfully perfect all their students are
though just as easily the party friend that everyone wanted to be around, was very sneaky, and often got away with way more than she should’ve of due to her mother
was thought she might continue pursuing her education, due to her eloquence and 4.1 gpa, or maybe even grace the runway, but she’d never been interested in any of that
so instead she went to an audition, ( she thought nothing of it ), and if anything she could always fall back on her other talents, until she got a call back and she appeared in a hit tv show that quickly gained somewhat of a cult following ( in my head it’s very similar to arrested development, community, the office ) 
after the success of her tv show which ran a lengthy eight seasons, she appeared in a few movies, but has now shifted gears and has focused more on her singing career ( but still loves to act and appears in musicals, movies, and make small cameos in shows )
personality
daphne...is hella materialistic, you ask her to go shopping and her headass will come out having bought half of the store, a bit of a shopaholic if i’m being honest
can come off as a bit of a bitch sometimes? and maybe standoffish? but she’s really sweet once you get to know her, if she ever lets you that is
a bit arrogant in her abilities, and a little competitive, but it’s usually all in good fun, unless she actually doesn’t like you then...oh boy, she’ll prove again and again how much better than you she is
is very outspoken and is 110% not afraid to call you out on your bullshit
acts a lot like the mom friend if she’s close to you? always trying to take care of others
impulsive as hell, makes a lot of stupid decisions, but likes to claim that she ‘doesn’t regret anything’
a bisexual icon! if she was out to anyone than stas that it, but a bisexual icon nonetheless okay
this is so bad? but listen, what did you expect from me? anyWAYS like this and come plot with me and my child!
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westforestcapitalct · 2 years
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5 Places to Visit in West Hartford, CT
Welcome to West Hartford, CT! We are excited that you have decided to visit our beautiful city. There is so much to see and do here, and we want to make sure that you make the most of your time in West Hartford. That's why we've put together this list of five places that we think you should visit while you're here. From parks and museums to restaurants and nightlife, we have something for everyone! So without further ado, let's get started.
West Hartford Art League
The first place on our list is the West Hartford Art League. The Art League is a non-profit organization that promotes the arts in West Hartford and the surrounding communities. They offer classes, exhibitions, and events for all ages and levels of experience. Whether you're an art lover or just looking for something to do, the West Hartford Art League is a great place to start.
Noah Webster House & Museum
Next on our list is the Noah Webster House & Museum. The Noah Webster House is the birthplace and childhood home of renowned lexicographer Noah Webster. Today, the house is a museum that tells the story of Webster's life and work. Visitors can tour the house, see exhibits on Webster's life and work, and even participate in hands-on activities. The Noah Webster House is a must-see for history buffs and word lovers alike.
Elmwood Park
If you're looking for some outdoor fun, the next stop on our list is Elmwood Park. Elmwood Park is a beautiful, historic park located in the heart of West Hartford. The park features a playground, tennis courts, a basketball court, a baseball field, and a swimming pool. There is also a walking trail that winds through the park, perfect for a leisurely stroll or a vigorous hike.
Restaurants
For something a little more low-key, we suggest visiting one of West Hartford's many restaurants. West Hartford has everything from upscale dining to casual cafes. Whether you're in the mood for Italian, Chinese, Japanese, or American food, you'll be able to find it here. And if you're looking for something sweet, don't forget to check out some of our local ice cream shops!
Blue Back Square
Last but not least, no visit to West Hartford would be complete without a trip to Blue Back Square. Blue Back Square is an open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment district located in the center of town. Here you'll find everything from high-end retailers to local boutiques. You can also catch a movie at the theater, listen to live music, or grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants. No matter what you're looking for, you're sure to find it at Blue Back Square.
We hope you enjoy your time in West Hartford! We think you'll love it here as much as we do. Thanks for visiting!
West Forest Capital Hard Money Loan Connecticut
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Be kind, stay sweet
02 2022 @Westfield Shopping Mall, Stratford London
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turingsdarling-blog · 6 years
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@kyanitegalaxies || Starter call
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It is only official requests from Elijah himself that usually bring Chloe to Stratford Tower - there is little reason for her presence otherwise - and she always finds the visits to be pleasant, albeit brief. Some ignore her presence, or do not speak to her beyond what is necessary, but others offer friendly smiles that she returns in kind. 
Today, it is a simple errand to a store adjacent to the Tower, but she stops in anyway, bringing vases of flowers and some sweets from a shop. She has registered from previous visits that many of the people the work the front desk enjoy these kinds of indulgences, and Chloe is happy to supply where she can. 
“Hello, Miss Hall,” she says with a smile. “I hope it’s okay that I brought these for everyone. I’ve heard great things about this shop, and I thought you might enjoy them.”
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